An Evening Departure
by overcloudnine
Summary: During a party, Niles finds himself trying to confess his feelings to the woman he's loved all long. Be sure to read Author's Note.


****AUTHOR'S NOTE***** (**Important!**) D:

Before reading this you should or perhaps say, **NEED** to read "When the Night Fell Over" and "The Morning Sunrise". I should of made it in 3 chapters but I didn't think I would keep writing about it. This short story continues into Niles's life after Maris's death.

[Yes, Niles is living in her mansion. That is the setting.]

Enjoy.

As the evening brought in a small draft, I glanced at myself in the mirror to adjust my bow tie one last time. Tonight was going to be the night. The night I've been anticipating for ages. I could feel the palms of my hands getting sweaty, and my heart began to flutter. This time there would be no hesitating, no clumsiness, nothing to stand in my way. But what if she turned me down? What would I say then? Ohhhh I needed to learn to stop fussing and be a man for once. I heard my brother call me from below, so I hurried out to the living room to greet my guests. Most of them were delighted to see me, to see I was in good health. I ushered them all into the dining hall, then scurried back over to Frasier.

"Is...she here yet?" I asked in private.

"Who? What- no Niles giver her some time, she's probably helping Dad with his suit. Now go and entertain your guests!" He gave me a little shove back into the hall. I grabbed my wine glass and held it high as I proposed a toast. Not that I really cared, I just needed something to shut up these pompous gossipers. The sound of their god awful snobby voices caused a great deal of ringing in my ears. I mean what was I doing? Did I have such a great impulse to throw a tremendous party? Without Frasier's help it wouldn't be what it was now, however I needed a good excuse to invite Daphne here... and she hadn't even arrived yet! I started to grow frustrated, thinking she may never come. I managed to escape out of the hall and past Frasier, up to the library balcony. The last place I could find peace. I attuned my head to nature as the blackbirds in my Zen garden started singing, and the fish with their splashing noises in the koi pond. There was nothing more I wanted than to share this moment with Daphne, to wrap her in my arms and gently kiss her neck...

There was an abrupt knock on my door, startling me at an instant.

"Sir, your Lady of the Hour has arrived," my butler said, "With what appears to be an elderly gentleman in a crooked tie."

I dropped my glass in excitement, and rushed past Boggs.

"Would you like me to clean that up, sir?"

"Yes yes please," I exclaimed hastily, and tripped down the stairs. The guests gasped, but promptly returned to their conversations. I saw Frasier and limped over behind him.

"Where is she?" I asked, almost jumpy.

"Niles!" he spun around. "Ditto to yourself! I was beginning to worry you took off-"

"I don't care where is she?"  
"Dear god if you must know she's in the living room talking to some young man. He's quite charming really, I had the courtesy of speaking to him myself."

Young man? Jealously rapidly built up inside of me, and I clenched my fists in anger. I wasn't about to let some beguile man steal the girl of my dreams. I peeked my head out the door and saw the two of them sitting on the couch, his arm around her. She was wearing a white custom made cocktail dress, adorned with a long black ribbon tied around her waist. I almost fell to my knees at the sight of her, but I gained my grip on the door handle. I got a glance at the man, who looked perfectly like James Dean. He was exactly the kind of man she would go for in a heartbeat. I closed the door shut, and banged my head against the wall. "Damn, damn, damn, damn!" I whispered. Everything grew silent and I got a tad worried, so I turned around to see my guests staring at me with sudden apprehension.

"Party face Niles, party face," I muttered under my breath, giving them a beaming smile. "Don't mind me, it's a mental exercise I learned from my dear brother. Frasier! Why don't you care to give them the explanation of your newfound 'headbanging' therapy?" Before I knew it they were all eyes and ears for my greedy limelighted brother, which to his pleasure he took in immediately, knowing I would owe him for this later on. Listening in against the door, I heard the muffled voices of Daphne and Mr. Dean, laughing their hearts out. I was somewhat disturbed, yet happy for her joyness. My conscience however, quickly invaded my thoughts.

_Niles! What are you doing you fool? Get in there and charm her!_

The subconscious part of my mind tried to withstrain me back, but I broke free. I smoothed my hair and straightened my suit. The door swung open in a quick motion and I scanned the room obliviously. Daphne instantaneously glanced at me and smiled, warming my heart.

"Oh look! Here's the man who put this wonderful dinner all together! Dr. Crane, how are you this evening?" She walked over and gave me a hug.

I shuffled my feet a little and stumbled upon my words. She knew exactly what to do to make me fluster. I carried a friendly banter with her, just enough for the other man to leave. My conscience roared in triumph at our victory. With no one else around, this would be the perfect time to invite her up to my balcony and confess my feelings. But she was going on about her brothers back home...I would hate to interrupt her story. I let her finish, then I took her hand into mine.

"Daphne, I'd like to show you something. I think you'll like it."

"Oooh a surprise! You spoil me Dr. Crane," she simpered a small grin. We walked up the staircase and went out on the balcony floor, where the night stars laid gently across the sky like a blanket. I waited for a reaction response, but she remained quiet.

"Daph-"

"Shh!" she hushed me in a whisper. "Let's keep the silence golden, shall we?" Her beautiful demeanor reappeared as she stared out into the sky. My pulse was quickening by the second, and I knew any time now I'd collapse. Trying to regain my confidence, we became rudely interrupted by a knock at my balcony door. I growled ever so slightly at the voice I did not long to hear.

"Niles!" Frasier howled. "If you're out there having a nervous breakdown you need to get over it! The people downstairs aren't cooperating worth a damn with me!"

Daphne started giggling, and I couldn't help to as well.

"Damnnit Niles I can hear you!" There was a drawn-out pause, followed by a heavy sigh. "Fine! Be this way. But we're going to have a long talk come tomorrow morning!" His footsteps clammered away loudly, letting me breathe my sigh of relief.

"So tell me Dr. Crane why did you bring me out here? I know it wasn't just to admire this astounding view you've got here," she said quietly, looking at the moon. Her posture shifted a little, letting the cool breeze nick at her dress, revealing a pair of sleek legs.

"An astounding view I have," I said flirtatiously, gazing into her eyes. My hand was inches away from hers on the guard rail. Ohh Daphne if only you weren't so absentminded at my maneuvers, then maybe you would see how blind my love is for you. Of course, the following statement did not make ANY sense at all and I can easily concur that with-

"Dear me!" Daphne spoke at an instant, disturbing my thoughts like a fault in tennis.

"What is it?" I asked in a daze.

"Oooh I've got to get your father home!" she said, glancing at her watch.

"Th-th-that's a shame," I replied sullenly. "What's his rush for?"

She huffed a little. "He has to watch his television program, so he couldn't stay for long. Sorry to disappoint you Dr. Crane.."

Game, set, and match. Had time really gone by that fast? "No need to apologize, it's quite all right." I said, trying to hide my melancholy mood. The misery. Oh God spare me the misery.

"I really am sorry to cut our visit so short...but there was something you wanted to tell me, is there not?" she questioned, rendering me speechless. I wasted 10 seconds of possibly telling her, but I proceeded to say no. She casually smiled, showing no sign of disenchantment.

"Well then Dr. Crane," she spoke serenely, "I had a lovely evening. It was nice spending time with you again," she added, with a nervous chuckle. That's when she did something completely unexpected. With a lean on her heels, she kissed me gently on the cheek. There I stood, captured in a moment that I wanted to last forever, when she whispered goodnight, closing the door softly behind her. I was filled with such delusion and bleakness the next few nights, trying to convince myself that really happened. I felt king of the world, her crowning me with desires I never imagined to come true. Yet I was only reminded by the emptiness of my heart that I still was a lonely man. I had advanced nowhere in telling her my feelings, and my dad had sadly given me the liberty of letting me know she's seeing someone now. A someone she met at my social gathering. I had the joy of throwing myself a pity party that ended in a verbal beating to top it off. My mind kept pondering her last actions towards me to the extreme. Her kiss...she left so tenderly on my cheek. I can still feel her soft, subtle lips upon my skin. I cringed at the idea of them kissing another man. What did it mean? Was she discreetly trying to show how she feels? Or perhaps...it was only a mere sign of friendship.

I sighed, and turned in my bed. Venus belongs to somebody else now. All I'm left to do is fabricate my elatedness for her. To be the prominent friend, the way it was meant to be.


End file.
